Julius Charles DeLotto

DeLotto, Julius C. “Jay”, 84, of Temple Terrace, passed away February 4, 2015. Jay was born January 8, 1931 in Trenton, N.J., and reared in Garfield, N.J. He graduated from Clarkson College of Technology in 1952 with a degree in civil engineering. He proudly served our country in the Army during the Korean War and was awarded a bronze star medal.

Jay married Filomena “Faye” DeLotto in 1955 at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Bronx, N.Y, and they moved to Tampa the same year. He helped build his father’s fledgling construction firm and eventually became president and CEO of J.O. DeLotto & Sons, Inc. – one of the oldest general contractor companies in Florida.

Jay was a longtime parishioner and strong supporter of Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Church. He joined Ybor City Rotary Club in 1956 and held numerous leadership positions over the years, including as two-time president and as a board member for six years. He received Rotary’s Distinguished Service Award and its Paul Harris Fellow Award, and was twice named Rotarian of the Year.

Jay was also a founder and the first president of the Associated Builders and Contractors Gulf Coast Chapter.

He was generous in contributing his time, talent and treasure to the community. Over the years he volunteered at The Spring of Tampa Bay, a domestic violence shelter; Life Enrichment Center, a nonprofit community-based senior center; Alpha House of Tampa, an organization serving pregnant women in crisis and their families; and The Florida Aquarium.

His hobbies included golf and cooking, and he was an avid reader of historical non-fiction novels.

Jay was preceded in death by his father, Julius O. DeLotto; sister, Antoinette DeLotto and daughter, Elizabeth DeLotto. He is survived his beloved wife of 59 years, Filomena “Faye” DeLotto; son Mark DeLotto; daughter Anne DeLotto Baier and her husband Edward L. Baier; brother John DeLotto; step-sister Nancy Criswell; sisters-in-law Mel Yovanni and Joan Ciotti; granddaughter Heather Hills; great grandson Makai Hills; as well as nephews and numerous cousins.

Visitation will be held 5-8 pm Thursday, February 12, at Garden of Memories Funeral Home, 4207 E Lake Ave., Tampa, FL 33610. Funeral mass 10 am Friday, February 13, at Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Church.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Jay’s memory to the Ybor City Rotary Club Foundation or Alpha House of Tampa.

A devoted husband, father, brother, grandfather and great grandfather, Jay will be deeply missed. His strong faith and enduring love and support of family and friends will live on in their hearts and continue to be an inspiration.